A stencil printing machine of the aforesaid kind is illustrated and described in U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,594,660, in which FIGS. 6-13 in particular illustrate a stencil printing machine of a kind with which the present invention can be said to constitute a further development.
FIG. 1 of the aforesaid-published patent specification also illustrates the discrepancy caused by a squeegee arrangement when the stencil is stretched during a printing sequence, and also illustrates how such distortion in the first or stencil pattern caused by stretching of the stencil cloth can be compensated for.
Also belonging to the present state of the art is an arrangement which is illustrated and described in U.S. Patent Specification No. 4,715,278. Among other things, this published patent specification illustrates a side view of a printing table and a stencil fitted to a stencil frame, and also illustrates schematically a discrepancy-compensating device which functions to reduce the discrepancy that would otherwise occur between the first pattern carried by the stencil and the second pattern printed on the print material should no compensation be made.
Also forming part of the present state of the art is the arrangement illustrated and described in European Patent Specification No. 0 285 587. This arrangement includes means for compensating for pattern-distortion that occurs in the stencil during a printing sequence as a result of stretching of the stencil cloth when printing in two mutually opposite directions.